Handmade Color Processing

After using an automatic photo processor (JOBOATL 3) for about two years, I realized that I didn’t need it. Anyway, I didn’t have any choice since I left my JOBO in Québec when I moved to Halifax…

All you need is a warm water-bath in which your chemistries and photo drum are maintained at a relatively constant temperature. The advantage of processing in your bathroom is that you have access to hot water from your shower hose and that you can throw your used chemistries in the toilet (except for the fixer which contains silver and that you must bring to a photo lab, or use a silver magnet, or use a silver recovery unit). By the way, always inform yourself about the toxicity of the products you’re using.

What you need:

1. A photo processing drum and film spools (I love JOBO spools)
2. Protective gloves to rotate the drum in the water bath
3. Un-powdered latex gloves to remove the stabilizer remaining on the film after the process
4. Protective goggles
5. A Funnel, used to pour sequentially the chemistry from each bottle into the drum
6. A Thermometer
7. A Chronometer
8. Two suction cups, a string and clothes-pins, to hang films for drying after the process
9. Bottles containing the chemistries*
10. Yogurt cups for the ‘stabilizer’ (C41) or the ‘final rinse’ (E6), outside of the drum
11. A watertight plastic container, used as water bath for the process (and to store all this mess after the process, away from the eyes of your girlfriend, boyfriend or roommate)

I use Fischer bottles for the next reasons: 1. They hold up to 700 mL which is perfect for my drum. 2. They’re glass bottles which means they’re heavy (won’t float) and keep the temperature more stable. 3. They can be closed to avoid spilling chemistry in the bath. 4. They initially contain a delicious beer.

How to proceed:

1. Prepare your chemistries (I use Kodak Chemistries). The concentration (ratio water to concentrate) is given for each chemistry by the manufacturer. Note that there are two different types of Kodak C-41 chemistries: the ‘Normal’ and the ‘RA’. RA stands for Rapid Access, these chemistries don’t need dilution with water and must be used for a shorter time.
2. Place the drum containing the films on their spool, the bottles containing the chemistries and the thermometer in the plastic container, in your bathtub. Pour hot water in the container (38-39°C) and wait about half an hour until your chemistries are warmed-up.

3. Use your shower hose every once in a while to add hot water if you feel that the temperature is decreasing. Between you and me, the precision and constancy of temperature are not as important as said. In fact, I got to the conclusion that if I feel that the water is at a temperature for a nice bath for myself (I like them a bit hot) everything is good, and I don’t use the thermometer anymore… And overheating produces nice color saturations (but burnt skies, as we’ll see later). During the warm-up you can prepare your yogurt cups for the final rinse.

4. Light a candle, prepare your chronometer and start the process. The first chemistries are supposed to be poured in the dark, but with just a candle it’s fine, your drum is supposed to be light-proof anyway.
5. Pour the first chemistry, rotate the drum in the water bath as long as needed, then empty your drum in the toilet (or in a container if you want to re-use them) and go to the next chemistry. Follow these durations for Kodak chemistries:

6. After the process, put your films in the final rinse for a minute, and hang them to dry for 1-2 hours.

Yeah ! Thanks a lot everyone for the likes and comments ! I'm really proud of this post, and it's really EASY ! I am now in a state where I shoot for the pleasure to process... Weird... Anyway, thank again, and thanks to scapegoat/Jason !

shouldn't one cross-process slide films around 30°C? anyway, that's what i always do and i get great results with it, but you're right, the temperature doesn't seem to be very important as long as it isn't completely off target.

Thaaaaanks for more love ! You are all making me so happy... @coca: it is indeed a wonderful feeling, hard to beat... @ululchen: Mmmm VERY interesting, I'll certainly try that ! Some 'cold' processing... But are your durations longer than those I indicate ?

Very well done! The Super Supersampler shots are great!!. Thanks to you I have been processing my own film for about a year. I even tried Caffinol a few weeks back. BTW when Kodak's instruction said to do the first few steps "In the dark" they meant if you were doing tray or open tank processing. But I like the candle idea--it makes it more of a ritual. After all, it is magic. And the Fischer beer bottle idea is just right on. Ken.

Thanks again ! @kdstevens: I feel so proud now my friend ! Thank you so much ! Ahaahaa yes I know the tank is supposed to be light-proof, however in some cases you have to be careful, like with panchromatic films...

Ok, I've been lurking for a while now and it's time for me to jump in :-) I have never developed film but I'm a pretty handy person. My wife has done some B&W back when she was in college which was a while ago. We barely shoot any B&W and really want to try developing our films ourselves. Is it really stupid or unsafe for us to start directly with color? I was thinking of using a Tetenal C41 Press Kit (sold for $19.99)...

@marcruinspants I am guessing you're talking about printing? This involves an enlarger, chemicals and photosensitive paper... Another whole story that I promised myself to figure out during retirement... : )

@stouf YES! Printing! Sorry, still new round here, don't know exact terminology. But yes, printing, That's my main focus (when it comes to out of pocket expenses) because I would really like to show my work in galleries after I get good enough, and I figure fairly large pieces is where a great deal of my money would go if I went to someone else to do it. The less money it costs me, the better.

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